Spanish
lime is from northern South America, and is widely distributed throughout
tropical South America, Central America and the Antilles. Sporadically
planted in other tropical regions.

Botanical Synonyms

Melicocca bijugata.

Description

Large
tree, to 85 feet (25 m) tall, with a thick trunk and smooth gray bark.
Leaves are bright green, alternate and compound, with 4 elliptic leaflets 2-5
inches (5-12.5 cm) long and 1-2 inches (2.5-5 cm) wide. Usually dioecious,
with separate male and female trees. Flowers are small, white, fragrant,
and borne in terminal panicles 2-4 inches (5-10 cm) long. Fruits are
ellipsoid to spheroid, 1-1.5 inches (2.5-4 cm) long and 3/4 inch (2 cm) wide,
with a thin, brittle green peel. The pulp is orange, salmon or yellowish
in color, juicy to somewhat pasty in texture, flavorful and sweet-sour to
sour. One or two large, cream colored seeds. The pulp usually
adheres tightly to the seed, but there are varieties that are relatively
freestone.

Propagation and Culture

Spanish lime is usually grown
from seed, but superior cultivars may be propagated by airlayering or
grafting. The tree is slow growing, taking 5-10 years or more to
fruit. Grows well at low elevations under hot, dry conditions.
Adaptable to different soil types, but seems to grow best in fertile, high pH
soils. Fruits from July to October in Puerto Rico.

Cultivars and Related Species

Most of the Spanish
lime production in Puerto Rico comes from wild trees, but more and more orchards
of selected grafted varieties are being planted. Superior cultivars of
Spanish lime include 'Sasa', 'José Pabón', 'Perfa', 'Ponce' and 'Sotomayor'.

Melicoccus
lepidopetala, from Bolivia, Paraguay and Argentina, has an edible fruit.

Uses

Spanish lime is eaten fresh by popping the fruit out of the
peel and chewing the juicy pulp off the seed. Also used to make juice,
jam, jelly, and a liquor called "bilí". The seeds are
reportedly edible, but are very astringent.

Nutritional composition per 100 g Spanish lime fruit

Carbohydrate

14-19 g

Fat

0.1-0.2 g

Protein

0.5-1 g

Calcium

3.4-15 mg

Phosphorous

10-24 mg

Iron

0.5-1.2 mg

Carotene

70 IU

Thiamine

0.03-0.2 mg

Riboflavin

0.01-0.2 mg

Niacin

0.2-0.9 mg

Vitamin C

0.8-10 mg

The
ground, roasted seeds are used medicinally as a treatment for diarrhea.

More information on Spanish lime

Mamoncillo
From the 1987 classic by Julia Morton, Fruits of Warm Climates.